Lakes State high court judge, Micheal Atem, on Monday, acquitted and set free two murder suspects, Chol Angui Dhuor and Jam Maguen Dhuor for lack of evidence.

The two have been in detention for allegedly killing the late Maker Aru Ajuong Adet of Kiir Mayardit Women Hospital.

Unknown gunmen shot and killed Maker Aru, who was a medical assistant and the director of finance and administration at the Kiir Mayardit Women’s Hospital in South Sudan’s Lakes State on 29th March 2020 near his residence at Akuac area in Rumbek town Radio Tamazuj reported at the time.

The acquitted duo was immediately released and set free according to the high court order seen by Radio Tamazuj on Monday after the judge said there was no evidence connecting them to the murder.

“There is no evidence of the killing being carried out by the two suspects, the case is dropped and they are set free,” Justice Michael Atem ruled.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Daniel Dhuor Angui, a relative of the acquitted duo, said he was happy to see two of his brothers set free after being falsely accused by relatives of the deceased.

"When Dr. Maker Aru Ajuong Adet was killed by an unknown person in March, the relatives of the late opened a murder case under section 206 against my brothers Chol Angui Dhuor and Jam Maguen Dhuor in the police and the two were arrested since March until they were set free today on 9th of November, 2020 by the high court judge," Dhuor Angui said.

Dhuor said his two brothers served nearly eight months in Rumbek Central Prison over false charges.

"When high court Judge, Michael Atem, set my two brothers free due to lack of evidence, the relatives of the deceased insisted that the two suspects must go for traditional oath-taking. When we took them to Kuacjok in Warrap State they took a traditional oath and the same traditional oath master found them innocent again and they were set free,” Dhuor said. “Now they have finally been released on those two accounts of innocence,” Dhuor said.

Dhuor urged people who have lost their loved ones as a result of inter-communal hostilities and revenge killings in the community to cease arresting people without clear evidence in Rumbek.